Perky Dance Duo Goes Dark. Aw, Who Needs a Hug?

Mar 18, 2010 Boys With Guitars, CD Reviews

Groove Armada
Black Light
Om Records. 11 Tracks.
Rating: 3½ stars (out of 5)

Why can’t musical artists just stick to what they do best?

It’s a reactionary, fogey-ish question—I picture one of the old coots in the Muppet Show balcony griping to the other. And sure, theoretically you want your favorite acts to take risks and stretch themselves. Without musical leaps of faith we wouldn’t have The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s, The Clash’s London Calling or Radiohead’s Kid A. But sometimes– like, say, when you’re suffering through Chris Cornell’s ill-fated collaboration with Timbaland or Lil Wayne’s awful rock Rebirth– you can’t help but ask yourself, what’s wrong with the way you usually sound?

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Speak Softly, Carry Retro Shtick

Mar 3, 2010 CD Reviews

Shout Out Louds
Work
Merge Records. 10 Tracks.
Rating: 3 stars (out of 5)

Musically speaking at least, the 1980s was a benevolent decade. Many of today’s hit-makers owe their very existence to pioneers from the golden age of new wave and synth pop. Madonna bequeathed her style-over-substance act unto Lady Gaga. Duran Duran gave us the Killers. And Chris Martin borrowed A-ha’s falsetto warbles while the Norwegian trio was off fjord-hopping and poof! Coldplay was born.

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Boys With Inventive Music Videos

Mar 2, 2010 Boys With Guitars

OK Go’s vid for “This Too Shall Pass” is mind candy.

        

Tags: OK Go